The United States is facing a public health crisis with the overdose rate involving opioids. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that in 2016 the number of deaths involving a prescription opioid were five times higher than in 1999.

The United States is currently facing an epidemic of opioid abuse and overdoses. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) cites over 183,000 deaths from 1999-2015 due to opioid overdoses. This epidemic, also referred to as the opioid crisis, stems from the overprescribing of opioids, recreational misuse, and the gateway of prescription opioids to more illicit drug use, such as heroin. How did we get to this point and what is being done to prevent misuse of opioids? To better understand the exponential growth of opioid use, we must look at the evolution of long-acting opioids and how these drugs have shaped current prescribing trends and medication approval rates.

Are you asking your pharmacist the right questions? With more than half of Americans taking at least one prescription medication, it’s important to stay informed about medication side effects, drug-on-drug interactions and ways to improve medication adherence.